Tape pulling device



June 9, 1936. A. D. EITZEN TAPE PULLING DEVICE Original Filed Aug. 20, 1929 INVENTOR jg Algllt @E'itzan,

Patented June 9, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TAPE PULLING DEVICE Application August 20, 1929, Serial No. 387,104 Renewed May 17, 1933 16 Claims.

This invention relates to stock quotation projeeting machines in general and more especially to an improved electrical device for controlling the movement of the tape.

Among the objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide an improved electrical device cooperating with a tension devicein engagement with the stock quotation tape for controlling the motor of the tape pulling means. s

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved electrical device for the motor of a tape pulling device, which electrical device is operable to control the amount of current of the motor correspondingly to advance the tape.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved electrical device and an improved spark quenching device for such electrical device for the motor of the tape pulling 'device of a stock quotation projecting machine,

which electrical device is operable to control the amount of current passing to the motor and to change the amount of current passing to the motor.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the invention will appear from the subjoined detail description of one embodiment thereof, illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation diagrammatically showing a stock quotation projecting machine equipped with the present improved electrical device;

'Fig. 2 is a plan view diagrammatically shown of a stock quotation projecting machine equipped with the present improvement;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

F18. 4 is an end elevation of the device shown in Fig. 3 partly broken away.

In the embodiment shown, the ticker tape T issues from the ticker in the upper portion of the housing I and cooperates with a device responsive to deflections in the tape. In the present instance, it passes under the roller 2 to the light aperture formed above the extension 3 of the projector 4. From the extension 3, the tape T passes down under the idler 5 and then up above the tape pulling roller 6, then again down under the idler 1 and then over and onto the rewind reel 3. r 5

The tape P lling roller, as shown in my copending application, Serial No. 343,363, filed Feb.

28, 1929, Patent No. 1,910,154, is provided with a worm wheel 9 fixedly connected to the tape pulling roller 6 and in mesh with theworm III on the shaft II. The shaft II is provided with a pulley l2 at-its outer end which is connected by the belt l3 with the pulley I4 of the motor ll. The shaft of the worm wheel 6 is also provided 5 with a pulley l6 which is connected to the pulley l1 fixedly connected to the reel 3 by means of the spring belt l6.

The roller 2 is preferably provided with two lateral guiding flanges l6 and and two annular l0 cutaway portions 2| and 22 of the roller 2 are provided to clear the two rows of printed matter formed on the tape to protect such printed matter from smearing. The roller 2 is pivotally mounted at the end of the arm 23 which is fixedly ll mounted on the shaft 24 journaled in the wall member 25 of the housing 26.

The shaft 24 is preferably provided with two bearings 21 and 28 which are disposed within the housing 26 and spaced from one another to re- 20 celve the arm 29 fixedly mounted on said shaft 24. The outer end of the arm 26 is preferably bifurcated, as shown, to receive the upper end of the link 33 and pivotally connect the same by means of the pin 3|. The lower end of the link 2 30 is provided with a pin which extends through the bifurcated portions of the upper end of the plunger 32 to pivotally connect the link 30 to the upper end of the plunger 32. The lower end of the plunger or well 32 is adapted to travel up 30 and down in the chamber 33 formed by the bracket 34. The lower end of the chamber 33 is provided with a lateral opening 33 to communicate with the central chamber 36 of the wire supporting member 31. The central cham- 35 her 36, as clearly appears from Fig. 3, inclines; upwardly from the chamber 33 and terminates at its upper end in the vertical extension 36, extending upwardly from the central chamber 36 which is preferably provided with an oil cup to.

The upper end of the plunger 32 is preferably provided with a skirt 43 which extends down around the outside of the upper end of the bracket 34 surrounding the chamber 33. The bracket 34, wire support 31 and link 30 are prei'- 45 erably composed of some insulating material such asbakelite. The wire support 31 is preferably prois connected to the contact 53 formed in the bracket 34 and communicating at its lower end with the later-a1 opening 35 of the bracket 34. The contact 4| is connected with the contact 42 by the resistance coil 54. The contact 42 is con nected to the contact 43 by the resistance coil 55. The contact 43 is connected to the contact 44 by the resistance coil 56. The contact 44 is connected to the contact 45 by the resistance coil 51. The contact 45 is connected to the contact 45 by the resistance coil 58.

The chamber 33 is preferably filled with a conductive liquid, such as mercury which will cover the contact point 53 in the lateral outlet 35 when the plunger 32 is disposed in the raised position shown in Fig. 3. Tnearea of the central opening 36 so corresponds to the form and size of the plunger 32 relative to the chamber 33 that the mercury located in the chamber 33 will be gradually displaced by the plunger 32 as the same descends to cause the mercury gradually to rise in the central passage 36 until it finally makes contact with the contact 4| at the lowest position of the plunger 32.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that when the plunger 32 is in its lowermost position and consequently the mercury at its highest level, the contact will be made direct by means of the conductor 55, contact 4|, mercury M, contact 53 and conductor 52 with the main leads 49 and 50; that when the plunger 32 is in its next lowest position where the mercury clears the contact 4| but engages the contact 42, the resistance coil 54 will be cut in to reduce the amperage; and in turn, as the plunger 32 rises and the level of the mercury M descends, more and more resistance will be cut in gradually to decrease the amperage to a comparative minimum when-all of the resistance coils 54 to 58 are cut in. At this time, the flow of current will of course be so reduced that the motor |5 which is connected in series with the main leads 49 and 50 by means of the conductors 59 and 60 is operating at its lowest speed. Preferably, in the present instance, a small amount of oil 0 is carried by the mercury so as to promptly quench any spark that is formed when the mercury makes or breaks contact with one of the contacts 4| to 43 inclusive.

It is of course obvious that the plunger 32 will remain in its highest position when the slack in the tape T has been taken up by the take-up roller 6| as is the case when the ticker has ceased operating for a short period, and that during the operation of the ticker, a loop is always formed of greater or less degree adjacent to the roller 2 gradually to cut out more and more resistance to speed up the motor l5 in turn to cause the slack in the tape T to be taken up at a greater or less speed depending upon the speed of the ticker. When the ticker has ceased to operate and the slack in the tape T has been taken up in turn to raise the plunger to its highest position where the level of the mercury M is not high enough to engage the contact 45, the current will of course at this point be interrupted and cause the motor l5 to come to rest and in turn to cause the take-up roller 6 to come to rest.

The cup 39, in the present instance, has a small oil reservoir to insure providing the necessariy coating or covering of oil on the mercury en The skirt 40 serves mainly as a dust cap to prohekct the well or chamber 33 from dust and th It will also be apparent from the foregoing that the diameter of the plunger 32 relative to the diameter of the well 33 is such that the small amount of clearance between the two will retard the movement of the plunger up or down due to the fact that the mercury being displaced must be squeezed up in this narrow clearance between the plunger 32 and well 33, and thereby acting as a dash-pot or dampening device. As a result of the foregoing, the whip of the tape so objectionable when the tape engaging roller 2 is free to drop with the formation of a loop, resulting in objectionable vibrations being formed in the tape which will be many times magnified during projection, cannot occur. Furthermore with the electric make and break devices of this character heretofore in use, the tape did not start moving from a position of rest until the ticker had ejected such tape to form a considerable loop, the loop required to permit the contact arm finally to make contact, resulting in a succession of blows on the tape by the tape engaging roller 2 before contact was made to cause the motor for the tape puller finally to get started. With the present invention, however, on the other hand, the tape engaging roller 2 gradually follows the loop being formed without being permitted to strike it due to the dampening eiiect aforesaid and on the other hand almost simultaneously, causes contact to be made to form a slow gradual start to the advancing movement of the tape. And in turn, when the ticker comes to rest, instead oi. permitting the tape pulling motor to continue at top speed until the contact is broken to eflect the sudden arrestof the tape at the light aperture, with the present invention, the successive increasing resistances will be cut in gradually to slow down the tape to the condition of rest. The value of this slow start and stop of the tape is especially apparent with the high speed tickers installed within the last few years by means of which quotations are today being printed at the rate of about five hundred characters per minute and which machines are reputed to be capable of being speeded up to nine hundred characters per minute, when consideration is taken of the eye strain necessarily resulting to the observer of the projected quotations from a sudden start or sudden stop of the tape at this speed.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of description without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

.1. The combination with a stock ticker tape, of a tape pulling device for drawing the tape across the light aperture of a projector, a device for controlling the speed of operation of said tape pulling device according to the rate at which the tape is supplied to the light aperture consisting of a rheostat having a plurality of contacts, a mercury bath, a straight plunger operatively mounted adjacent to said rheostat in a vertically extending path of movement for causing said mercury to cut in the successive resistances of said rheostat to facilitate a gradual start from a period of rest and a gradual arrest of the tape, and means sensitive to the slack in the tape at the entrance to the light aperture operatively connected to said plunger to actuate said plunger.

2. The combination with a stock ticker tape, of a tape puller for pulling the tape across the light aperture of a projecting machine as it is delivered thereto, a tape feed for feeding the tape to the light aperture, the tape puller and tape feed cooperating to form slack at the entrance to the light aperture when the tape feed operates and to take up the slack so formed when the tape feed comes to rest, an electric motor operatively connected for driving said tape puller, a rheostat for controlling the speed of operation of the motor and consequently of the tape puller, a mercury bath, a vertically extending straight plunger for causing the mercury in said bath to cut in the successive resistances of said rheostat as the plunger rises to facilitate a gradual start from a period of rest and a gradual arrest of the tape, and an arm resting on the tape at the entrance to said light aperture and operatively connected to said plunger to actuate the same in a vertically extending path of movement adjacent to said rheostat. l

3. The combination with a stock ticker tape, of a tape feed, a tape puller for pulling the tape across the light aperture of a projecting machine as, it is delivered by the tape feed, the tape puller and tape feed cooperating to form slack at the entrance to the light aperture when the tape feed operates and to take up the slack so formed when the tape feed comes to rest, an electric motor operatively connected for driving said tape puller, a rheostat for controlling the speed of operationof the motor and consequently of the tape puller, there being an upwardly inclined chamber, the successive contacts of the rheostat communicating with said chamber, a mercury bath, a substantially straight plunger operatively mounted adjacent to said rheostat in a vertically extending path of movement to'cause the mercury in said bath to move upwardly into said chamber to cut out the successive resistances of the rheostat as the mercury rises and consequently as the plunger descends to facilitate a gradual start from a period of rest and a gradual arrest of the tape, and an arm resting on the tape at the entrance end to said light aperture and operatively connected to said plunger to cause said plunger to descend when slack is formed in said tape.

4. The combination with a stock ticker tape, of a tape feed, a tape pullerfor pullingthe tape through the projecting machine as it is delivered by the tape feed, the tape-puller and tape feed cooperating to form slack at the entrance end to the'light aperture when the tape feed operates and to take up the slack so formed when the tape feed comes to rest, an electric motor operatively connected for driving said tape puller, a rheostat for controlling the speed of operation of the motor and consequently of the tape puller, there being an upwardly inclined chamber, the successive contacts of the rheostat communicating with said chamber, a mercury bath, a substantially straight plunger operatively mounted adjacent to said rheostat in a vertically extending path of movement to cause the mercury in said bath to move upwardly into said chamber to cut out the successive resistances of the rheostat as the mercury rises and consequently as the plunger de scends to facilitate a gradual start from a period of rest and a gradual arrest of the tape, an arm resting on the tape at the entrance end to said light aperture and operatively connected to said plunger to cause said plunger to descend when slack is formed in said tape, and a supply of oil on the surface of the mercury in said bath to promptly quench the formation of any sparks when contact is made or broken with said rheostat.

5, The combination with a stock ticker tape, of a tape feed, a tape puller for pulling the tape across the light aperture of a projecting machine as it is delivered by the tape feed, the tape puller and tape feed cooperating to form slack at the entrance end to said light aperture when the tape feed operates and to take up the slack so formed when the tape feed comes to rest, an electric motor operatively connected for driving said tape puller, a mercury rheostat for controlling the speed of operation of said motor consisting of an insulated bracket having a vertically extending well, an inclined chamber extending upwardly from the lower end of said well, contacts at the opposite ends of said inclined chamber electrically connected with the electric motor, a plurality of contacts intermediate said end con-- tacts disposed to extend into said chamber, a plurality of resistance coils connecting the successive contacts, mercury disposed in said well, a plunger slidably mounted in said well operative to force the mercury into said chamber to cut out successive resistances by contact with successive contacts to facilitate a gradual start from a period of rest and a gradual arrest of the tape, and an arm resting on the tape at the entrance end to said light aperture and operatively connected with said plunger to cause said mercury to rise when slack is formed in said tape and said plunger descends.

6. The combination with a stock ticker tape, of a tape feed, a tape puller for pulling the tape across the light aperture of a projecting machine as it is delivered by the tape feed, the tape puller and tape feed cooperating to form slack at the entrance end to said light aperture when the tape feed operates and to take up the slack so formed when the tape feed comes to rest, an electric motor operatively connected for driving said tape puller, a mercury rheostat for controlling the speed of operation of said motor consisting of an insulated brackethaving a.

vertically extending well, an inclined chamber extending upwardly from the lower end of said well, contacts at the opposite ends of said inclined chamber electrically connected with the. electric motor, a plurality of contacts intermediate said end contacts disposed to extend into said chamber, a plurality of resistance coils connecting the successive contacts, mercury disposed in said well, a plunger slidably mounted in said well operative to force the mercury into said chamber to cut out successive resistances by contact with successive contacts, and an arm resting on the tape at the entrance end to said light aperture and operatively connected with said plunger to cause said mercury to rise when slack is formed in said tape and said plunger descends, the clearance between said plunger and the side walls of said well being comparativelyslight and the mercury being forced through said clearance as the plunger rises or falls to retard or cushion the movement of said plunger and consequently to prevent the sudden movement of said arm resulting in the possible jerk or jar to the tape especially when starting from a period of rest or when returning to a period of rest.

'1. The combination with a stock ticker tape, of a tape feed, a tape puller for pulling the tape across the light aperture of a projecting machine as it is delivered by the tape feed, the tape puller and tape feed cooperating to form slack at the entrance end to said light aperture when the tape feed operates and to take'up the slack so formed when the tape feed comes to rest, an 75 electric motor operatively connected for driving said tape puller, a mercury rheostat for controlling the speed of operation of said motor consisting of an insulated bracket having a vertically extending well, an inclined chamber extending upwardly from the lower end of said well, contacts at the opposite ends of said inclined chamber electrically connected with the electric motor, a plurality of contacts intermediate said end contacts disposed to extend into said chamber,- a

plurality of resistance coils connecting, the successive contacts, mercury disposed in said well, a plunger slidably mounted in said well operative to force the mercury into said chamber to cut out successive resistances by contact with successive contacts, an arm resting on the. tape at the entrance end to said light aperture and operatively connected with said plunger to cause said mercury to rise when slack is formed in said tape and said plunger descends, the clearance between said plunger and the side walls of said well being comparatively slight and the mercury being forced through said clearance as the plunger rises or falls to retard or cushion the movement of said plunger and consequently to prevent the sudden movement of said arm resulting in the possible jerk or jar to the tape especially when starting from a period of rest or when returning to a period 01 rest, and an oil supply located in said mercury to promptly quench the formation of any sparks when making or breaking contact between the mercury and the contacts of said rheostat.

8. The combination with a stock ticker tape, a tape pulling device for drawing the tape across the light aperture of a projector, a device for controlling the operation of said tape pulling device according to the rate at which the tape is supplied to the light aperture consisting of a rheostat having a plurality 01' contacts, a well of conductive liquid, a substantially straight plunger adjacent to said rheostat, said well having one vertically extending passage for receiving said plunger, and a second passage extending laterally from said vertically extending passage in communication with said contacts, and means responsive to deflections in the tape to actuate said plunger in turn to raise the level of said conductive liquid and thereby cut in the successive resistances of said rheostat according to the magnitude of the deflection in the tape.

9. The combination with a stock ticker tape, 01 a tape pulling device for drawing the tape across the light aperture 01 a projector, a device for controlling the speed of operation oi said tape pull ing device according to the rate at which the tape is supplied to the light aperture consisting of a rheostat having a plurality of contacts, a well having a supply of conductive liquid, a plunger vertically movable in said well adjacent to said rheostat to cause said conductive liquid to rise and cut in the successive resistances of said rheostat, and means responsive to deflections in the tape operatively connected to said plunger to actuate said plunger.

10. The combination with a stock ticker tape, of a tape pulling device for drawing the tape across the light aperture of a projector, a device for controlling the operation of said tape pulling device according to the rate at which the tape is supplied to the light aperture consisting of a rheostat having a plurality of contacts, a well containing a supply of conductive liquid,a lever responsive to deflections in the tape, a link, and a plunger vertically movable in said well adjacent to said rheostat and operatively connected by said link to said lever to change the level of said "onductive liquid in turn to cut in the successive resistances of said rheostat according to the magnitude oi the deflection in the tape.

11. The combination with a stock ticker tape, of a tape pulling device for drawing the tape across the light aperture 01 a projector, a device for controlling the operation of said tape pulling device according to the rate at which the tape is supplied to the light aperture consisting of a rheostat having a plurality of contacts, a well containing a supply of conductive liquid, a lever responsive to deflections in the tape, an arm flxed to rock with said lever, a link pivotally connected to said arm, and a plunger vertically movable in said well adjacent to said rheostat pivotally connected to said link to change the level oi said conductive liquid in turn to cut in successive resistances 01' said rheostat according to the magnitude of the deflection in the tape.

12. The combination with a stock ticker tape, of a tape pulling device for drawing the tape across the light aperture of a projector, a device for controlling the operation oi. said tape pulling device according to the rate at which the tape is supplied to the light aperture consisting oi! a rheostat having a plurality of contacts, a vertically movable plunger adjacent to said rheostat, a lever responsive to deflections in the tape, a link operatively connecting said plunger to said lever, and means operatively connecting said plunger to said contacts to cut in the successive resistances oi the rheostat according to the magnitude of the deflection in the tape.

13. The combination with a stock ticker tape, of a tape pulling device for drawing the tape across the light aperture of a projector, a device for controlling the operation of said tape pulling device according to the rate at which the tape is supplied to the light aperture consisting of a rheostat having a. plurality of contacts, a vertically movable plunger adjacent to said rheostat, a lever resting on the tape and responsive to deflections in the tape, an arm flxed to rock with said lever, a link operatively connecting said arm with said plunger, and means operatively connecting said plunger to said contacts to cut in the successive resistances of the rheostat according to the magnitude of the deflection in the tape.

14. The combination with a stock ticker tape, of a tape feed, a tape puller for pulling the tape across the light aperture of a projecting machine as it is delivered by the tape feed, the tape puller and tape 'ifeed cooperating to form slack at the entrance end to said light aperture when the tape feed operates and to take up the slack so formed when the tape feed comes to rest, an electric motor operatively connected for driving said tape puller, a. mercury rheostat for controlling the speed or operation oi said motor consisting of an insulated bracket having a vertically extending well, a chamber extending upwardly from the lower end of said well, contacts at the opposite ends of said chamber electrically connectedwith the electric motor, a plurality 01' contacts intermediate said end contacts disposed to extend into said chamber, a plurality of resistance coils connecting the successive contacts, mercury disposed in said well, a plunger slidably mounted in said well operative to force the mercury into said chamber to cut out successive resistances by contact with successive contacts to facilitate a gradual start from a period of rest and a gradual arrest of the tape, and an arm resting on the tape at the entrance end to said light aperture and operatively connected with said plunger to cause said mercury to rise when slack is formed in said tape and said plunger descends.

15. The combination with a stock ticker tape, of a tape feed, a tape puller for pulling the tape acrossthe light aperture of a projecting machine as it is delivered by the tape feed, the tape puller and tape feed cooperating to form slack at the entrance end to said light aperture when the tape teed operates and to take up the slack so formed when the tape feed comes to rest, an electric motor operatively connected for driving said tape puller, a mercury rheostat for controlling the speed of operation of said motor consisting 01' an insulated bracket having a vertically extending well, a chamber extending upwardly from the lower end of said well, contacts at the opposite ends or said chamber electrically connected with the electric motor, a plurality of contacts intermediate said end contacts disposed to extend into said chamber, a plurality of resistance coils connecting the successive contacts, mercury disposed in said well, a plunger slidably mounted in said well operative to force the mercury into said chamber to cut out successive resistances by contact with successive contacts, and an arm resting on the tape at the entrance end to said light aperture and operatively connected with said plunger to cause said mercury to rise when slack is formed in said tape and said plunger descends, the clearance between said plunger and the side walls of said well being comparatively slight and the mercury being forced through said clearance as the plunger rises or falls to retard or cushion the movement of said plunger and consequently to prevent the sudden movement of said arm resulting in the possible jerk or jar to the tape especially when starting from a period of rest or when returning to a period of rest.

16. The combination with a stock ticker tape.

of a tape feed, a tape puller for pulling the tape across the light aperture of a projecting machine as it is delivered by the tape feed, the tape puller and tape teed cooperating to form slack at the entrance end to said light aperture when the tape is feed operates and to take up the slack so formed when the tape feed comes to rest, an electric motor operatively connected for driving said tape puller, a mercury rheostat for controlling the speed 0! operation of said motor consisting of 10 an insulated bracket having a vertically extending well, a chamber extending upwardly from the lower end of said well, contacts at the opposite ends of said chamber electrically connected with the electric motor, a plurality of contacts intermediate said end contacts disposed to extend into said chamber, a plurality of resistance coils connecting the successive contacts, mercury disposed in said well, a plunger slidably mounted in said well operative to force the mercury into said 20 chamber to cut out successive resistances by contact with successive contacts, an arm resting on the tape at the entrance end to said light aperture and operatively connected with said plunger to cause said mercury to rise when slack is formed 25 in said tape and said plunger descends, the clearance between said plunger and the side walls of said well being comparatively slight and the mercury being forced through said clearance as the plunger rises or falls to retard or cushion the movement of said plunger and consequently to prevent the sudden movement of said arm resulting in the possible jerk or jar to the tape especially when starting from a period of rest or when returning to a period of rest, and an oil supply located in said mercury to promptly quench the formation of any sparks when making or breaking contact between the mercury and the contacts or said rheostat.

AUGUST D. EITZEN. 40 

